Changes
by wolfsrainrules
Summary: She hadn't thought this would happen. She was meant to get behind enemy lines, gather information and get back to her commanding officer. She had done so for hundreds of thousands of vorns . She hadn't expected to find the Allspark. And if she hadn't thought it was possible to find it she certainly had not thought the few nano-kliks it took her to have the thought would do this.
1. Chapter 1

**Soo…..I…uh…Transformers has invaded my life for like the last three months and this one** _ **would not leave me alone**_ **. I put the first chapter in my Spare Parts story (the collection of chapters for various Transformers AUs that I have- all of which are up for adoption provided I AM INFORMED OF THE ADOPTION via PM.)**

 **Except my brain ran with this- so I'm adopting my own idea. Oops.  
I don't own Transformers. MAJORLY AU. I am **_messing with the time measurements_ **. I KNOW that's not the 'right' time measurement for the Fandom but shhhhh we're gonna roll with it.**

 **Also visit The Transformers Indexis: Transformers Curses, Insults, and Swears (google Transformers insults) to view where I pulled them from. (It's beautiful)**

 **TIME MEASUREMENTS:**

 **Astrosecond:** .5 seconds

 **Nano-klik:** 1 second

 **Klik** : 1 minute

 **Breem:** 8 minutes

 **Cycle:** 1 hour 15minutes

 **Deca-cycle:** 4 weeks (one month)

 **Mega-cycle:** 96 hours (four days)

 _ **Meta**_ **-cycle:** 12 months (one year)

 **Stellar Cycle:** 6 months

 **Vorn:** 83 years

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

She crooned softly to the little ones in her servos.

This changed _everything_.

She hadn't thought _this_ would happen. She was meant to get behind enemy lines, gather information and get back to her commanding officer. She had done so for hundreds of thousands of vorns and done it well. She hadn't expected to find the Allspark while doing this job. She hadn't even _dreamed_ she would come into contact with it in the event she found it.

And if she hadn't thought it was possible to _find it_ she certainly had not thought the few nano-kliks it took her to have the thought while she was in contact with it before running with it would be enough to do _this_.

She had sparklings.

She had known that the Allspark was the artifact used to create new life, she knew that cybertronians would 'ask' to be blessed with a sparkling. Most often, if the Allspark agreed to bless the partners, it would pull on the two 'parent' sparks to create a child. If it was a lone cybertronian asking for a child- as she had been- the Allspark would pull on the lone cybertronian's spark and provide the energy that usually came from the other partner's spark itself to create the sparkling.

She _had_ been thinking she wanted sparklings when she was in contact with the Allspark. She just…hadn't meant _right then_ , while a war was going on around her, while she was _behind enemy lines_. She'd meant after the war.

The Allspark…hadn't got the message. It had picked up on her desire to have sparklings and acted on it.

And so she now had a set of twin femmes.

She sort of wanted to panic even though she was utterly enthralled with the little ones.

 _Her_ little ones.

She crooned at the little ones again, her blue optics warm and awed.

Split-spark twins. Like Sunstreaker and Sideswipe. One spark in two bodies. They were _rare_. Her eyes snapped up to scan the surroundings. She couldn't stay here with them. Or the Allspark.

She quickly placed the little ones in her sparkling-hold. The two femmes curled together as her armor snapped back into place, closing over the little ones and freeing her hands. She reached out for the Allspark and _ran_.

Unfortunately she couldn't subspace it since it would cause fatal damage to her internally. She'd have to walk out with it. Or rather, sneak.

O~O~O~

It takes her a cycle to get out of the base she had found the Allspark in without getting spotted, however, as soon as she gets out of the base alarms go off and she has to run. She can feel the sparklings in her hold moving around unhappily and she curses under her breath.

" _The walls must have been acting as a suppressant against its signal."_ Her eyes flash around her as she has the thought. She knows she needs to destroy the base behind her. She wasn't sure how they had managed to create a compound that would hide the Allspark, but she can't let it survive to hide the Allspark again should she lose it (which is a possibility considering where she is and she's not sure how close any of her allies would be to her). Unfortunately she doesn't have the time to grab a large enough sample for the Autobots to recreate it either.

She reaches into her subspace for the strongest explosives she has, sets the timers and chucks them before she transforms quickly, the sparklings safely moved to the cab of her alt form alongside the Allspark, and pours on the speed.

She knows she's working on a countdown now. They know she has the Allspark, and while she may have time to get away thanks to the imminent explosions taking out anyone that would chase her, she knows that it's almost a certainty that this base had already reported the Allspark being taken as soon as the alarms sounded.

She has kliks to get the distance she needs from the blast.

O~O~O~

Half a deca-cycle later and she was feeling it.

She had never been so glad for her extra fuel tanks. They were the only reason she and the sparklings had survived so long without stopping. What had originally helped her with her job of staying off the radar on long undercover sabotage and information gathering was now what was helping her keep herself and her twins alive (And she couldn't stop. The explosion had bought her time, but she _needed_ to get to Jazz or Prowl as soon as possible. Both to hand over the Allspark and get herself and her little ones to Ratchet.)

She reached out on the Autobot communications channel constantly in a vain search for her allies. _::This is Requiem requesting aid! Can anyone hear me? Requiem to the Autobots requesting aid!::_

No one answered her calls. She prayed it wasn't because of Soundwave. Or that Blaster- their communication specialist- would be able to find her anyway if it _was_ Soundwave interfering.

She was getting desperate. Her Energon levels were getting low with three sparks to support on top of the fact she hadn't refueled before getting out of the Decepticon Base, and she had had to fight twice already and had gotten some superficial damage that wouldn't usually be a problem but was quickly becoming one left untreated.

She cursed as she continued to run, every few kliks she would reach out on the communications channel for anyone of her faction.

Time passed.

Requiem soldiered on.

O~O~O~

Warnings flashed on her HUD, telling her she needed to refuel immediately. Requiem knew she needed Energon. She'd taken to giving what she had to the sparklings rather than using it for herself. (The sparkling-hold had certain lines that lead to her tanks and when the sparklings sucked on them, they would be fed- her systems filtering the Energon as needed for the sparklings consumption.) Requiem could feel the little femmes in her mind and spark as the Carrier-Sparkling bond solidified and opened the life-long connection they would share with her in their sparks.

Her little Eclipse and Stardust.

She crooned to them even as she staggered on.

 _::Please…:_ she sent the com out again, wavering lightly on her pedes : _:Please…someone respond::_ If she didn't get aid soon…she would run out of Energon and while she would simply drop into stasis-lock if that happened (for a time) the sparklings would _die_ and Requiem could not allow that to happen.

 _::-sponse? Can you— I need you—c— you h—r me? Auto—::_

Requiem nearly collapsed in relief as she picked up the choppy static laced response. _::Yes! I can hear you. Who is receiving me?::_

As she responded and focused her coms in the direction of whoever had responded to her their response came through much clearer. _::My designation is Blaster.::_ Requiem recognized the designation and voice of the Autobot Communication Specialist as he continued to com her and the static cleared up _::Reading interference with your communications. Status?::_

Requiem didn't allow herself to still as she scanned her surroundings. A low keen of relief escaped her vocalizer all the same as she answered swiftly _::My designation is Requiem of Autobot Special Ops and I need immediate assistance. Find Commander Jazz and tell him R-E-C-2-0-2-F-R-E-E-4-0-7-J-A-S-S. Please. And bring Ratchet and the Big Guy.::_ The code was one Jazz had given her before she had even left on her information gathering/spy mission. The numbers themselves would also tell him certain facts about her status without her needing to say anything over the com.

A few kliks later and she sagged in place as the worried tones of her commanding officer and the brother of her spark reached her _::Wha't're you doin' Requiem?::_ she could _feel_ his worry and anger over the coms and grinned to herself.

 _::Jazz::_ she greeted him with relief _::You have my position?::_

 _::We do::_

 _::Good, Hurry Jazz. I'm…::_ she paused tying to think of an adequate comparison her processor flashing with ideas before she settled on one that would tell him it was bad _::Do you remember::_ she started not wanting to outright say what she had just in case it wasn't a secure line, but wanting to convey exactly how bad her situation was and how important what she was carrying was _::when we were younglings and I had get out of the Pits after I won us those spare parts you needed to fix that leak?::_

The line was silent.

She didn't blame Jazz. That had been a hard time for the both of them. They had been so young, and so desperate. Jazz had gotten hurt and something had kept _leaking_ all his Energon all over the place. He had been really close to going permanently offline. They had been getting close to no Energon as street-rats as it was-Jazz leaking what he _did_ get was disastrous for him. Once they had figured out there was no fixing the problem without replacing the entire part (which they didn't have the credits to buy as homeless little street-brats that only had each other and nothing else, nor could they simply _steal_ it) Requiem had gone looking for another way to manage it. There was no way in the Pit she was going to let her brother die without trying everything and anything she could. Which was why, in the end, when she found out the black-market fighting rings had what she needed to save him she had entered herself into them.

It had been a mess from the start, but Requiem had been desperate and willing to fight dirty to win. She'd managed it, and gotten the parts she (Jazz) had needed.

Only the other mechs had taken offense to a 'glitch-mouse of a street-femme' winning against them and had tried to corner her. She'd run, tricking the mechs into rushing headlong into the Enforcers and allowing her to escape. (Prowl had ironically been the Enforcer to tackle the mechs chasing her and take them in. He'd also hunted herself and Jazz down and checked on them later that day. He'd bought them Energon. Had kept doing it whenever he could 'find' them (really it had just been one of them going to the mech when times were especially difficult and they couldn't get what they needed alone.) It had been a hard job, but eventually Prowl had earned their trust.) She'd gotten back to Jazz, helped to repair him and then collapsed. He'd had to use the extra spare parts she had won to save her afterwards- repairing her as she had for him. (Prowl buying them Energon later that day had actually probably saved their lives with all that had been lost.)

 _::…_ _ **Frag**_ _::_ Jazz cursed over the com alongside a wave a worry transmitting over the line.

 _::Hurry::_ she reiterated.

 _::On my way. Be careful Requiem. Jazz out..::_

O~O~O~

Jazz had been relaxing beside Prowl, his pedes kicked up on the tactician's desk (ignoring any and all grumbled commands for the mech to remove his pedes from his work station) when Blaster called him over the com. He could feel the communications officer was slightly confused and a bit worried as he spoke to him _::Jazz::_

 _::Wha'cha need Blaster?::_

When Blaster answered, Jazz's processor screeched to a halt and he jerked to his pedes flinging himself towards the communications room at full speed, using every tick he had learned as a street-rat running from the Enforcers through crowds to get there faster. He could hear Prowl running after him (and the only reason the mech could keep up was because he had been the only Enforcer Jazz and Requiem had allowed close enough to learn the tricks they used for himself) but ignored that as the code he had been given repeated itself in his processor.

The code he had had given was one he gave to Requiem before she went on her undercover mission so he would know it was her. Each set of numbers given between the letters told him different things about her status. The 2-0-2 was a sign she was in distress (adding in her request for Ratchet told him it was physical distress since she needed a medic) while the 4-0-7 told him she was being chased and coming in hot. (Her request for the Big Guy- Optimus (and Jazz was proud his nickname for Optimus had rubbed off on her)-told him that was probably the reason she was coming in hot. She had information the Big Guy would want immediately). He needed to get to her now. See what had happened to the sister of his spark. So he was running. (And slag whoever was in his way)

She'd been with him since he was a youngling just out of sparkling-hood. She'd lived with him on the streets, fought beside him, followed him as he checked out the leading mechs on either side of the war, had worked her way up to his second in command as he had earned his place as Commanding Officer of the Special Ops. He couldn't imagine a life without her.

As he rushed for the communications room he prayed to Primus he wouldn't have to.

He shoved Blaster aside with little thought as he read the information on the screens and used Blaster's equipment to send out an angry and worried com _::Wha't're you doin' Requiem?::_

 _::Jazz::_ she greeted him with relief and he could sense how tired she was over the link _::You have my position?::_

 _::We do::_ he agreed after a quick glance to Blaster to confirm the answer.

 _::Good, Hurry Jazz. I'm…::_ she paused and Jazz felt his spark squeeze with worry. Coms were two way communications and while the others in the room could hear her thanks to the equipment he was using to boost both his and her signal broadcasting their conversations aloud, as the mech on the other end receiving the coms he could feel the strong emotions she broadcasted alongside the words much as she could feel his own.

He could feel how pained and tired she was. And with how long he had known the femme he could hear the hidden tones of panic held back with pure stubborn will and experience. _::Do you remember::_ she started and Jazz's attention snapped back to the femme. _::when we were younglings and I had get out of the Pits after I won us those spare parts you needed to fix that leak?::_

Jazz stilled as the appropriate memory file jumped to the front of his processor. He had been angry he had been hurt enough to make Requiem go out on her own to figure out how to fix it. He'd been even angrier when she had gone to the Pits. The black-market fighting rings. (Named after the Gladiator Ring in Kaon)

The prizes for the fights could be anything from credits to spare parts to Energon.

Requiem had gone after the ones with the spare parts and ended up hurt and running with his life-saving parts in her subspace. (The two of them had gotten much better as during the more desperate times on the streets when they couldn't get to Prowl- or were too stubborn to ask for help more than once- they had had to go back to the Pits to survive. It was why they were so good at down and dirty fighting- it had been learned through experience and life and death situations.) He could still remember the horrified panic when she had managed to get back to him and repair him only to collapse afterwards. He could remember how his servos had shook as he repaired her as she had done for him with the spare parts she had won. Could remember the tense frightened response to the Enforcer- Prowl who was not yet trusted or known- that had found them later only to buy them both enough Energon to fill their tanks (that had saved their hides, not that the two street-brats had admitted that to an _Enforcer_ of all bots)

He was silent for a klik or two before he cursed his worry and concern spiking. _::…_ _ **Frag**_ _::_ whatever she had was important. Very important. And she was hurt- on the verge of collapse running their way.

 _::Hurry::_ she reiterated.

 _::On my way. Be careful Requiem. Jazz out..::_ He cut the communications glancing back at the coordinates Blaster had tracked her to, and darted out of the room. He had two mechs to pick up and then he was hauling aft to her location with or without them.

O~O~O~

Requiem's wheels screeched as she swerved to avoid a plasma blast from behind. She could feel her sparklings' terror as she cursed internally, enraged anyone had dared to fire at her while her sparklings were within her. (Even if they weren't aware of that fact.)

She was so _close_. Jazz was on his way with Optimus and Ratchet. She had the Allspark and all she had to do was last long enough for the bots headed her way to get there. It was difficult with her injuries and her body screaming at her, but she ignored all the warnings on her HUD to keep herself a step ahead of her pursuers.

Decepticons had the worst fragging timing.

She snarled as a plasma blast skimmed past her side singeing her armor and sending her processor humming with pain. The sparklings keened with fear and upset, snuggling as close to one another in the seat of her alt form as they could get and it only made Requiem angrier. Especially since she couldn't chance slowing down enough to _do_ anything to her pursuers or she risked the sparklings, herself and the Allspark all at once. ( _ **Unacceptable.**_ )

It had been two breems since she had gotten ahold of Jazz and Requiem wasn't sure how much longer she could outrun the three mechs behind her. They had caught up to her half a breem after she had ended the com to Jazz and Requiem was _tired_.

"You burnout miss-clocked piles of slag!" she snarled the insults as she screeched around another plasma blast.

Three kliks later, Requiem hit the brakes in a near miss, her wheels spinning as Ratchet screeched around a corner. She had barely missed the medic, the nose of her alt form brushing the nose of his as she drifted around him until she came to rest directly beside him. Jazz had leapt from his place behind the medic as Ratchet slammed to a stop, transforming midair into his bipedal form only to land in front of them both facing the Decepticons who were still headed their way. He lunged to meet them and Optimus was right behind him, quick to join him in bipedal form to lunge after her pursuers. It took them less than half a klik to deal with the 'Cons before coming back to her.

Requiem sagged on her wheels before she slowly transformed into her own bipedal mode, standing eye to eye with Jazz (their lack of care on the streets as younglings had ensured they would always have short frames compared to others). She wavered on her pedes but didn't release her hold on the prize she had escaped with. She staggered forward to Optimus lifting her optics to meet his own "Prime." She greeted him seriously as her Commander with his title rather than his name or a nickname as she normally would "I found the Allspark." She lifted her hands and revealed what she had cradled.

She saw all their optics widen and heard the rattling of armor that signified Cybertronian shock from all the mechs around her and grinned tiredly. It was a sign of just _how_ shocked these mechs were that they could not conceal the reaction as they normally would. "They weren't happy I ran with it." She passed the Cube to her Prime before she turned to face Ratchet who was already scanning her.

From his slowly widening optics she knew he had picked up on what _else_ she was carrying. "Ratchet." She swayed on her pedes. "Tell me you have Energon with you."

He scrambled to get it from his subspace and hand it over after an astrosecond or two of staring at her.

Requiem was glad to break the seal on the cube and down the whole thing in a few nano-kliks. She shuddered as some of the flashing warnings on her HUD finally stopped, leaving the 'tanks low- refuel needed' one rather than the multiple countdown warnings of imminent stasis-lock. She shuddered shaking her helm before speaking "We need to go. They're still on my trail. They'll sense the Allspark if nothing else. They had a compound that hid its signature from us- it was a blessing of Primus I even found it to begin with, but they knew the moment I left with the Allspark that I had taken it. I have no doubt they are coming after me- after the Allspark- in force."

She turned her optics to Ratchet "I will submit to your tender mercies on the Ark Ratchet. For now we _must_ put distance between us and them no matter my injuries." Her optics flashed with silent warning. She would not take the sparklings he had seen in his scan out of her hold while out in the open. Her very programing would not allow it. Not in such dangerous times when she knew for a fact enemies could show up at any time. She saw his optics narrow, but he growled and took another two Energon cubes out of his subspace.

"Take these then. My scans show you're near stasis-lock as it is. Had we been even half a breem later…"

Requiem nodded as she took the offered fuel thankfully. She started walking as she drank, not wanting to spill the precious fuel but also wanting to move. She wavered on her pedes as she went and felt rather then saw Jazz come to her side, his optics pinned on her helm.

She grinned into the cube of Energon. He'd always known her best. He _would_ notice she was hiding something else. _::I'll tell you at the Ark::_ she promised him over a private com and saw him relax and turn his eyes to the front. She grinned. He was such a worrier. She was close to collapsing down into recharge- already she had used the override codes to stop herself from dropping into recharge twice in her mad dash from the Decepticon base- and the only thing keeping her moving was the energy she got from the Energon and the knowledge she needed to keep going only for a little while longer.

She was almost _home_.

She hadn't been home in _vorns_. She was always jumping from job to job and meeting point to meeting point. She couldn't wait to see the walls of the Ark again. (Even if her first glimpse of it in any sort of depth would start at the med bay.)

O~O~O~

Requiem didn't even have a chance to report in depth to anyone. Ratchet was in fine form already- angry with what he had already scanned on her status and his inability to fix it immediately.

(Ratchet had absolutely earned his nickname 'Hatchet' no matter his thoughts on the matter.)

So the moment she stepped a pede onto the Ark she was hustled into the med bay with Jazz on her heels. "Sit down" Ratchet growled "before you fall down."

She grinned to herself even as she obeyed. He wasn't wrong. She was very close to falling over. She wouldn't last much longer on her pedes. Jazz perched beside her, an unmoving presence. Ratchet knew better then to attempt to move him. He was the only bot that truly understood their bond to each other and the reactions they would have.

They'd spent too long on the streets being the only thing between any and all dangers and the other while one of them was sick or injured to leave each other in the med bay alone. She was hurt- close to forced recharge- and Jazz would not- could not- leave her vulnerable. He trusted the bots he was with, but it was a habit from the streets of Cybertron that had saved both their sparks more then they liked to count. He wouldn't leave her alone and Ratchet knew better than to try and make him. (He'd only made the mistake once.)

"Let me see."

Requiem blinked, her optics narrowing. She knew what he wanted. Her servos twitched.

"Please" Ratchet added after a moment, his optics softening.

Requiem relaxed a little, her armor settling from where it had bristled slightly in a cybertronian warning. She lifted her servos to her chest-plate stilling another moment before she willed them to open.

She reached into her sparkling-hold and cupped her servos around her femmes. She stilled again, her programs _**very**_ against pulling such young sparklings from the safety of her hold. Especially while she was so tired. Ratchet was very still, knowing better then to rush a new Carrier as they adjusted to programming that would activate with the presence of their sparklings. It wouldn't matter that Ratchet was her trusted friend and her medic- if he tried to forcibly _take_ her sparklings from her, Requiem would attack him with the intent to offline him.

Requiem took a deep breath and reached out to Ratchet after wrestling with her programs. She _knew_ Ratchet wouldn't hurt her little ones, she trusted the medic with her life. With Jazz's life. But her programs screeched that she keep her sparklings close and shielded and _safe_. She opened her servos.

"Cybertron below me…" The synchronized breathless whisper of the two mechs made Requiem grin even as she spoke. It was one thing to know from a scan that sparklings were present- it was another thing entirely to see the tiny little sparks cradled in Requiem's servos with his own optics. Ratchet hadn't seen such young Cybertronian life in vorns upon vorns. Jazz hadn't even had the warning of the scan to brace for what he would see and his optics were wide as he stared.

"This one is Eclipse." Requiem lifted a finger to indicate the little femme on the left with the golden streaks on her black frame "The other" she indicated the one on the right who was a darker shade of navy with speckles of white "is Stardust. They are twins."

Ratchet reached forward, slow and steady giving her every opportunity to stop him- which she appreciated as she adjusted to the new programing and the urge to shield her femmes- and carefully trailed a finger over the little ones. They opened their optics and burbled. She heard Ratchet's intakes catch, his armor rattling and clanking lightly with his emotions. She smiled before she wavered in place for a moment, her servos remaining completely steady despite that, and Ratchet instantly snapped back into 'Ratchet the Hatchet' Chief Medical Officer mode rather than amazed mech. Jazz and Ratchet both moved to help her lean back on the berth and Requiem was happy to obey the unspoken command "Scan the sparklings Ratchet." She gave her own command as she leaned back.

Ratchet obeyed easily, checking them over and declaring them 'tired but healthy.' She grinned at the news, placing them back into her sparkling-hold and reaching for Jazz. She squeezed his servo the moment he handed it to her opening a private com even as Ratchet moved around her in the quick controlled way the medic had. _::Jazz?::_

 _::…Spaklin's Requiem. I hav'n't seen them in…_ _ **vorns**_ _.::_

She could feel his awe and the instant protectiveness over the com. She grinned at him _::Yeah. I didn't plan on it…but…I wouldn't trade them for all of Cybertron.::_

Jazz could feel the adoration and protective feelings in her spark and smirked _::Ah told ya ya'd make a good Carrier::_

Requiem laughed _::You did.::_ she agreed _::This wasn't how I imagined it happening though. You…::_ she paused her optics meeting Jazz's and he tilted his head even as he sent a questioning feeling her way through the com _::You will help me with them?::_ she asked softly.

Jazz stilled, his armor clanking with surprise _::Ya don' have ta ask meh ta do tha'::_

Requiem smiled at him _::You are my brother Jazz, not their Sire. I do not_ expect _you to help me. Will you watch over them for me?::_

She could feel his love and loyalty as well as how honored he was to be asked _::Ah will.::_ he swore and Requiem smiled at him, feeling how serious he was before she allowed the looming recharge to take her now that she and her sparklings were safe.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

 **I'm going to mess with stuff. I** _ **really**_ **wanted to see the Autobots responding to Sparklings and dealing with all the messes they find themselves in while doing that. I also wanted a Big Brother Jazz. So yeah.**

 **Height wise**

 **Jazz and Requiem:** 15ft **(because I want their street-life to reflect on the height and I enjoy the idea of bots looking at them and underestimating them only for them to be BAMFs despite being the littlest.)**

 **Bumblebee:** 17ft

 **Ratchet:** 24ft

 **Ironhide:** 26ft

 **Optimus:** 28ft

 **Megatron:** 30ft


	2. Chapter 2

**TIME MEASUREMENTS:**

 **Astrosecond:** .5 seconds

 **Nano-klik:** 1 second

 **Klik** : 1 minute

 **Breem:** 8 minutes

 **Cycle:** 1 hour 15minutes

 **Deca-cycle:** 4 weeks (one month)

 **Mega-cycle:** 96 hours (four days)

 _ **Meta**_ **-cycle:** 12 months (one year)

 **Stellar Cycle:** 6 months

 **Vorn:** 83 years

 **Prowl is about 22ft in my head- just so ya'll know and though this is getting expanded I'm thinking of these chapters as a collection of chronological one-shots. Just so you all know.**

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Requiem felt like her intakes were going to freeze, like her cooling fans had stopped despite the noise of their working proving that theory wrong.

Her sparklings were wailing in her hold, their fear and panic battering at her spark over the Carrier bond she shared with them. She did the best she could to project protectiveness and reassurance their way in response even as she darted between and around grabbing servos and weapon fire.

Megatron was _not_ happy with her getting away with 'his' Allspark and seemed to take serious offense to her being online for it. He had set out to rip her spark from her chest plates in response to the slight she had apparently committed.

Normally Requiem would have taken the mech on- Megatron or no, if a mech wanted to rip her spark out of her chest plates she was going to make them _**work**_ for it. The issue with that plan however was that Requiem was a Carrier now, with sparklings that needed her, that counted on her…that resided very close to her spark in her sparkling-hold.

She couldn't charge into the problem and deal with it the way she normally would and it left her riding a battle high, her intakes working in time with her cooling fans to keep her frame cool.

O~O~O~

When the Base Alarm had sounded Requiem had carefully barricaded her sparklings into her sparkling hold and darted for her Prime. He knew she was now a Carrier. She had told him- showed him her femmes- as soon as she was back in the land of the online after her long overdue recharge crash in the med bay. She would remember the awe in Optimus' optics for the rest of time. He had been so awed and careful as he reached forward to brush his servo across the femmes' helms.

The only three that knew she was now a Carrier besides herself were Jazz, Optimus and Ratchet and Requiem wanted to keep it that way. That meant moving to the most protected place she could think of- beside her Prime.

"Optimus!" she hollered as soon as she saw the mech and he turned to face her a moment even as he continued to give orders to the bots around him in a quick controlled manner.

As soon as everyone was moving to their assigned tasks Optimus turned to her "I shall hand the Allspark to you now," he passed the cube into her hands as he continued "you must keep it out of Megatron's servos- he will expect myself to have it. Hopefully we can use that, but we will protect you as much as we can."

She understood what he had done almost as soon as the Allspark touched her servos.

Every Autobot now had orders to shield her from Decepticon attack- they would think it for the Allspark she carried, but Optimus had managed to give herself and her sparklings extra protection without breaking his word and telling the bots she was now a Carrier.

She knew it was inevitable that the rest of her faction would discover her sparklings, but she would put it off as long as she could. _::Thank you::_ she whispered it over a private com dipping her head to him. He nodded to her before he turned taking control of the situation with the ease of practice.

Normally she wouldn't even dream of having others 'protect' her for any reason. She was a Gladiator survivor, the Second In Command of the Special Ops, and a war veteran. She didn't _need_ protection- but the young femmes in her hold _did_ and Requiem would not turn any protection for _them_ away. Not even at the cost of her pride as a warrior.

O~O~O~

And here she was.

The battle had been fierce and violent. She had protected the Allspark and her sparklings viciously, but Megatron was a force. He had fought and blasted his way straight for her. Optimus had intercepted the Decepticon leader, but in the end he had come after her and Requiem was forced to make a choice.

 _::Optimus! Ah won' be able ta hol' 'im off!::_ The accent from her childhood reared up as she stressed and she snarled at the mech who was getting angrier and angrier as she slipped between his servos with ease of practice, taking potshots where she could.

(If being a small femme in a Gladiator Ring had taught her anything it was _speed_ and the ability to take any and every shot presented to her- or how to _make_ a shot where there was none.)

She knew her leader had heard her and that he was making a choice even as he worked his way closer to them. She silently willed him to hurry as she darted between Megatron's servos again, blessing her flexibility and speed as she went.

"Get back here!" Megatron snarled as he lunged her way again and Requiem cursed sharply as she danced out of his reach, feeling it as his clawed servos barely scrapped against her side in a near miss.

Requiem staggered as the next time Megatron managed to clip her with his servo she was knocked off balance, staggering sideways. She braced with a curse for pain, or immediate offlining, the moment she realized she wouldn't be able to correct her balance before Megatron reacted, her sparklings wailing and wiggling in her hold in response to her emotions, when a silver blur leap in from the left.

Jazz slammed into Megatron's chest pedes first, and Requiem had the honor of watching the Decepticon Leader's optics widen and his faceplates twist with shock and disbelief as he tumbled back away from her. She could hear Jazz snarling in anger and knew he was seconds away from a Gladiator Rage if he wasn't already in the middle of one.

(Every mech or femme that fought for a living as a Gladiator developed a Gladiator side of themselves that would surface in different extremes. (Referred to as Gladiator programing once it surfaced in a bot) It was a kind of 'program' that kicked in during a fight after certain criteria were met. Most often the criteria was rage and defensiveness on the mech or femmes' part, or when the mech or femme was pushed to the breaking point in a fight and the 'Gladiator program' kicked in in order to help the bot come out on top. As a 'program' built and developed in the Rings where the fighting ability of a bot was everything, and every advantage could and had been the difference between life and death, the Gladiator program was the best of the bot in question when it came to fighting abilities, and would adapt to everything around it as the bot learned and the program recognized an 'asset'.

Most Gladiators would react instinctively to threats around them while the program was active. In the case of a Gladiator Rage this was especially true. Very few Gladiators worked hard enough for control to realize that the Gladiator program itself could learn control. Jazz and Requiem had worked painstakingly over vorns for control over their Gladiator program. This fight for control, and the results of their fights where the two were allowed to think and reason during the fight had led to the program recognizing that logic, and reasoning, the ability to _plan_ was an asset and so it had adapted to use it. Which meant that even as they Raged, Requiem and Jazz were able to _plan_.

Their control meant the only bots that even knew Jazz and Requiem had been Gladiators at all were Ratchet- as the medic that would need to deal with them when instinct took over when they came up fighting in the med bay- their Prime- as the leader they followed- and Prowl- as a trusted mech from their youngling-hood who helped them as they struggled to earn the control they now had and the Autobots Tactician.

For Jazz and Requiem the only _true_ triggers of a Gladiator Rage were threats aimed at one another, and now that Requiem had sparklings- Eclipse, or Stardust. Threats that couldn't be dealt with by the other. Megatron had not only threatened her in a way she couldn't defend against at the time, but he had threated both sparklings as well.)

When Jazz snarled his visor a bright almost white with the glow of his optics Requiem knew her brother was in a Rage. He was vicious and fast as he laid into the shocked mech.

Megatron responded after a nano-klick of shock flinging her brother off of himself and rising to his pedes.

He recognized the signs of a Gladiator Rage from his days in Kaon as a Gladiator himself and he felt old instincts rise up in the face of it. He knew exactly how dangerous a _true_ Gladiator was in a Rage. He recognized the difference between a Gladiator who had not _earned_ control and one that had struggled and staggered over vorns to learn to reason though the Rage. He recognized Gladiators who fought for control, who wrestled with their Rage, those who learned to become _one_ with their Rage and became all the more _dangerous_ for it.

In the case of those like Megatron and Jazz (in the case of Requiem) the Rage was an entirely different beast then those who were ruled by instinct. It was all the speed and action and strength of the largest of adrenaline rushes only with all the thought and deadly focus of a perfectly clear processor.

Megatron gave the Raging Jazz the attention he deserved, shifting to better deal with him as he realized this Gladiator was _planning_ even as he Raged. He had learned long ago on Kaon that the smaller Gladiators seemed to be the more dangerous of bots no matter what anyone else said. (His caution and lack of poking fun at the shorter Gladiators back in Kaon was why he was alive and the others weren't.) He would not underestimate this bot. Especially not when he knew this bot was Prime's Third in Command. (And though Megatron was not yet aware of it- the Commander of Special Ops)

Optimus reached Requiem then, helping her to her pedes and making sure she (and everything she was carrying) was alright. When he moved to interrupt the fight Requiem gripped his side in warning. "Don't."

The Prime stilled his optics darting to her and then back to the fight happening in front of them "Why?"

"Jazz is Raging. Getting in his way would cause him to classify you as 'enemy' rather than Leader right now. You must let him fight for the moment." She passed the Allspark to her leader, tensing and shifting on her pedes as she watched the battle unfold.

She could see the grin starting to pull at Megatron's faceplate and realized he was enjoying himself.

She was torn between anger- because this was Megatron and she didn't like the idea of him thinking a fight with the brother of her spark was _fun_ \- and pride- because this was _Megatron_ and every Gladiator heard the tales of the Champion no matter where or what ring they fought in and he was _enjoying_ his fight with her brother.

Jazz's inner Gladiator recognized Requiem as his Battle Partner. His to protect, his to fight with and to fight for. It was a position earned through many, many fights together, through spilled Energon and the many nights on the streets together. She would be able to jump into any fight Jazz was in, even while he was Raging, and he would adjust for her presence instinctively, much as he could do for her when their positions were reversed.

She knew she would have to interrupt the fight soon, shift Jazz's focus or stop his Rage. Optimus may be their Prime, a leader they acknowledged, and even respected, but he had not earned the title of Commander from their Gladiator sides. He had not been recognized by their Gladiator programs to be their leader and general. He would therefore not be permitted to lead them while their Gladiator was 'awake' nor would he be allowed to interrupt a fight without being attacked- especially when the fight was started in defense of something the Gladiator saw as 'theirs'.

In the end she commanded the Prime to stay where he was until she called him and lunged into the battle so she could provide Optimus the opportunity needed to join in the battle without being attacked. Jazz responded to her presence instantly and she could pinpoint the exact nano-klik Megatron realized Jazz's inner Gladiator recognized her as his Battle Partner. His optics narrowed with consideration and he shifted to keep them both in sight.

Requiem could feel her femmes shaking in her hold and snarled, feeling as her own Gladiator tried to surface at their fear. It _enraged_ her, but she needed to keep the Rage at bay so she could allow Optimus to cut in. If her Gladiator surfaced that wouldn't happen. Her servos flexed as she shifted her weight. Jazz responded instantly to the nonverbal cue and they lunged together.

O~O~O~

For all their efforts Megatron had been the Champion for a reason.

Despite their teamwork and nonverbal way of communication all Requiem and Jazz were managing to do was keep the Decepticon leader in one place. They weren't doing much damage, only distracting the mech and keeping each other online with minimal damage. It was a mark of their skill that they were not yet offline however, and Requiem could even recognize the beginnings of acknowledgement in Megatron's optics of their skill. They wouldn't be able to take the mech down- Requiem knew that much- but they could at least hold him off working together which was nice to know. (Just in case)

 _::Jazz::_ she sent the private com to her brother even as she weaved around Megatron's frame. She could sense as he acknowledged her over the com despite the lack of verbal speech. _::We must allow Optimus to fight now. Come.::_ (She had allowed Jazz to work off that initial spike of rage on her behalf, and knew she could now ask him to pull back from the fight)

There was a low snarl over he com- she could hear his engine snarling aloud as well- before he answered _::He tried to take you from me. I would rip his spark out of his chest plates for it.::_ she could feel his anger and protectiveness over her in the private com, and the fact he had dropped his accent told her he was completely serious. (Just because she could now ask, did not mean it would be appreciated)

 _::I know brother, but you have already saved me and my little ones. We must now allow Optimus his own fight. This mech is his to kill and has been for vorns despite his slights against us. You know this.::_

She knew he was listening to her despite his anger. She could feel his reluctant acknowledgement. As a Gladiator a 'claimed kill' was a respected thing and they both knew Megatron was Optimus' right to deal with for his betrayal of the Prime. If he had succeeded in killing Requiem it would have been a whole other story, but as she was alright Optimus still had the right to Megatron's kill.

Jazz shifted his shoulders just so, a bare twitch and Requiem responded immediately, both herself and Jazz flitting back away from Megatron and towards Optimus even as Requiem sent a private com to the bot _::Now Optimus! Go!::_

The Prime shot forward to meet Megatron in battle even as the two Special Ops bots moved away.

O~O~O~

The battle was fierce. Requiem never strayed far from her brother as they fell into old habits, silent cues and twitches causing the other to respond instantly. They were death walking as they carved their way through the battlefield.

(Megatron may have stood against their combined might, but the others in his forces could not.)

Requiem knew by the end of this fight the Autobot forces that witnessed the two of them fighting would realize she and Jazz had Gladiator programs. She wondered how the twins- Sunstreaker and Sideswipe- would react as the only other set of Battle Partnered Gladiators in the Autobot forces.

(Then she wondered if she could talk the twins into sparring with Jazz and herself- it would be nice to spar with another Gladiator, and especially nice to face another set of Battle Partners. The twins would probably even appreciate it themselves. Fighting another Gladiator was entirely different then fighting another mech or femme, a whole different challenge.)

By the time Optimus had driven Megatron to call for a retreat, Jazz had calmed enough for the Gladiator to fall away from the forefront of his mind. He was still angry about the close call, and worried for her, but he was no longer Raging.

Ratchet stormed over to her once they were clear to rage about her being on the field at all.

(She'd rather not be there with sparklings herself, completely understood his feelings on the matter, but they didn't have the numbers for her to _not_ be there when Megatron himself was on the field. Especially with her skills. Unfortunately.)

O~O~O~

As the war progressed, and Megatron became more and more vicious and determined, Requiem knew she needed to let another bot know about her sparklings. She was not happy about it.

But it is necessary so she will do as she must.

The mech she chooses to tell doesn't take much thought. She trusts very few bots with her life, with Jazz's life, but he had earned his place amongst their number…and so she will now trust him with the femmes that had become her world.

She slinks into his office, whisper quiet. She scans the room with every sense she has, as deeply as she can manage it. She knows the room is soundproof and secure- probably one of the most secure in the Ark, but she refuses to take any sort of chance with the information she is about to reveal. When she is sure of the room's security she slides into the chair and waits for the mech to come back from his Energon run. Her grip on the chair is tight and she is tense. She knows this mech would offline himself before he harmed _any_ sparkling, but that doesn't stop her nervousness.

When the door opens Requiem is watching it and she sees Prowl still, blinking his optics at her. She watches him scan her and take in all the silent cues he had learned to read over the long vorns he has known her. She sees his door-wings quiver and shift in a protective way.

(He had always been protective of Jazz and herself, ever since he had run into them as street-brats. He had been the one to convince them to join the Autobots. It was no surprise to her that he would take one look at her and read the nervous tenseness in her frame and react with protectiveness as he was doing now even though he knew she could take care of herself.)

"Requiem?" Prowl's voice was even and steady even as he shut the door behind himself locking it as he stepped away, instinctively knowing this was going to be a Serious Conversation.

"Prowl…" she allowed her armor to rattle and bristle with her nervous tension feeling no need to hide her feelings from a mech she considered to be family. She watched his door-wings quiver in response, still in a position displaying protectiveness to all who could understand 'wing-speech.' A feeling that was only emphasized with the way Prowl allowed his armor to bristle as if he could threaten whatever had caused her to react this way.

(Most bots thought Prowl was unfeeling due to his control and the very powerful logic chip he carried on top of his battle computer and the manner in which he presented himself. Requiem knew Prowl was a mech who felt _**powerfully**_ and had learned the control and how to present an 'uncaring' farce to everyone else in order to protect those he considered to be _his_. Especially as Head Tactician where all those he cared about would be placed into the line of fire for anyone trying to get to him. Behind closed doors with those he trusted Prowl allowed the masks to drop.)

She felt herself settle a little despite herself. She could still remember the day a mech had pushed Prowl to his breaking point. The day that two street brats had learned that once Prowl claimed someone as 'his' he took care of them.

No matter _who_ tried to threaten them.

As street urchins, Jazz and Requiem hadn't had anyone to stand up for them when it came to those of higher social rank. They were the lowest of the low, and their word was worth nothing against those of higher rank. _Especially_ when the mech in question was of noble rank and had corrupt Enforcers in his subspace willing to lie in courts and falsify reports. (There was a _reason_ it had taken Prowl so long to earn their trust) It had not been the first time those of higher rank had tried to get Jazz and Requiem in trouble (even then they had all the makings of great saboteurs and bots had noticed) but it was the first time the bot casting blame had been a noble. It was _also_ the first time they had had Prowl on their side.

She and Jazz had gone running when the Noble accused them of multiple crimes that would get them scrapped without trial. When Prowl had come storming into their hiding place after their face-plates had been posted all over the place, they had been tense and frightened, on the verge of a meltdown, and insisting they had nothing to do with any of their supposed crimes praying the Enforcer who had helped them so much would believe them. He'd been _**furious**_ , but it wasn't until he had hissed out "I know" in response to their babbling that they realized he was furious on their behalf.

Requiem _**still**_ wasn't sure _what_ Prowl had done to the enforcer or the noble that had lied about them to cause the chain reaction he had. All she knew was the Noble had lost his rank, and ended up very much on the bottom of the social ladder, only to later end up behind bars for a _very_ long time while the Enforcer who had falsified the repots framing Jazz and Requiem had lost his job and been disgraced and chased from the city while Jazz and Requiem had had their names cleared. (Prowl had actually ended up taking over the command post the Enforcer had been fired from later that same deca-cycle where he proceeded to 'clean house' of all the corrupt mechs and femmes he could dig up so this wouldn't happen again.)

She vented deeply staring at the wall over his shoulder for a moment before she stood from Prowl's chair. "You remember the mission I took that resulted in the Autobots coming into possession of the Allspark?"

Prowl nodded once, his armor settling in place even as his door-wings remained in a protective stance. "Yes."

"I…didn't put everything that happened as a result of that mission into my report."

She watched Prowl still in a way that told her he wanted an explanation immediately. She walked closer to him stopping an arms-length away from him, closing her optics as she struggled for a moment with herself. "I had a thought while in contact with the Allspark…and it reacted to it. I did not plan on this…but…" she reached up to her chest-plates as they opened and almost laughed at the sudden way Prowl's door-wings shot straight up in his shock at what she was doing "I would not change what happened, and I wanted you to know of them."

She pulled the small forms of her femmes from her sparkling-hold, presenting her cupped servos to the tactician. She watched his optics as they focused sharply on the small wiggling forms of her little ones, his door-wings somehow managing to arch higher in his shock even as they went utterly still. It took the mech a few kliks to react beyond the staring but as his door-wings settled in a way that conveyed _fierce_ protectiveness Requiem relaxed.

(There was an art to reading Prowl as only the _slightest_ of things gave his feelings away. Even in the case of his door-wings, which were normally so expressive on a bot this held true, since Prowl had so much experience controlling their visible reactions to be the slightest of twitches no matter the situation. The only exceptions being the most shocking of events- as her presenting him with her open chest and sparklings apparently were- and Requiem was fiercely proud of her ability to read the mech even when his masks were fully in place.)

When Prowl reached up, pausing hesitantly in question before he touched her femmes, Requiem nodded her permission "This one in Eclipse, the other is Stardust and they are the only split-spark femmes I know of. The only ones that know they exist are Optimus, Jazz, Ratchet and now you." Prowl's servos were infinitely gentle as he brushed them over the little ones' helms and she could hear the faint purring of his engine. She instinctively relaxed at the sound and as her feelings of _trust-happiness-content-safe_ slipped over her carrier-bond the femmes stirred and lifted their helms to peer at the bot that made their Carrier feel protected and safe and happy.

They blinked bright blue optics at him and whirred softly in greeting.

Requiem couldn't help the smile that pulled at her face-plates as Prowl melted where he stood. (Nothing gave him away, not even his door-wings, but Requiem had known him too long to not notice the instant her femmes became _Prowl's_. Became some of the very few Prowl would destroy entire regimes to keep safe and protected.) He purred his engine louder in response whispering a soft "Hello" even as he continued to stroke the femmes' helms.

And Requiem knew she had chosen well, that no matter what happened in the future, what this war brought to rest at her pedes, her sparklings would be well looked after by those that knew of them if anything happened to her.

She smiled.


	3. Chapter 3

**TIME MEASUREMENTS:**

 **Astrosecond:** .5 seconds

 **Nano-klik:** 1 second

 **Klik** : 1 minute

 **Breem:** 8 minutes

 **Cycle:** 1 hour 15minutes (4 cycles is 5hours)

 **Deca-cycle:** 4 weeks (one month)

 **Mega-cycle:** 96 hours (four days)

 _ **Meta**_ **-cycle:** 12 months (one year)

 **Stellar Cycle:** 6 months

 **Vorn:** 83 years

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Requiem could almost laugh.

Almost.

All the effort…all the _planning_ …all the caution and _this_ was the result.

They had sent the Allspark into space. Megatron had been getting too close. Too much had happened, and too much rode on the wellbeing of the Allspark. It had been a desperate gamble. A desperate hope that they could get the Allspark away from Megatron, while also being able to get it _back_ before the Decepticon leader managed to find it.

They owed _much_ to Bumblebee. The little bot had faced Megatron, faced torture at his servos, lost his voice and _still_ he had refused to bend. Refused to tell Megatron any sort of information on where exactly the team that had the Allspark _was_ , or what they were doing with it. And he had known the information. He had _known_ what Megatron had tried to pry out of him and still the little spy had refused to bend to the bot.

The only reason Jazz, herself and Optimus had succeeded in launching the Allspark into space was because Bee had had the struts and will power to keep his silence even in the face of Megatron. He was one of Special Ops best spies, and she and Jazz had known the youngling for vorns and vorns. When they had gotten back from their mission only to find out what had happened to Bee…that Ratchet had almost lost the little bot and had not been able to save the spy's voice as well as his life…

Well.

They owed Megatron one _pit_ of a greeting the next time they saw the bot.

They visited Bee whenever they could, and they were the ones to put the idea of using data-bits to talk in place of his voice into his processor. It wouldn't be the same- but they were happy to give the little spy- their best spy- a way to communicate for himself. It seemed to help the mech anyway.

Of all the bots in the Ark, Requiem, Jazz, and Ratchet are the only bots not surprised in the least when Bee offered (demanded) to follow the Cube and Megatron into space. They knew their Spy- he wouldn't stand for a 'failed' mission. And if Megatron got ahold of the Cube it would be a failed mission. Jazz had smirked and shook his head when Bumblebee offered his argument for allowing him to take the mission.

He insisted he was best at sneaking into places he shouldn't be even _with_ Decepticon attention on him apart from Jazz and Requiem. He also pointed out that as such high ranking officers Requiem and Jazz couldn't be spared anyway. He argued with multiple bots for cycles, but eventually he got his way and Optimus allowed him to be the first after the cube.

Jazz and Requiem had given him a couple emergency codes much like she had been given herself and wished him luck before he left.

O~O~O~

The Decepticons left behind on Cybertron were vicious as they fought against Requiem and the rest of the Autobots.

And all the while, Requiem watched her femmes grow. They learned quickly and their cables grew strong as they learned to move around. She had taken to retreating to Jazz's or Prowl's rooms to allow the femmes out of her hold so they could move around somewhere other than her sparkling-hold. She knew the two bots were worse than Red Alert when it came to paranoia about bugs or spies in their rooms so no one would be able to find out about her femmes that way. Their rooms were the safest places she could think of not including her own room which the two femmes saw often.

She knew the two little ones would want to run around soon as they continued to grow and strengthen. She wasn't sure what she would do then. Until that point though, she would enjoy watching them stumble around Prowl's berth and burrow into it when they were tired.

O~O~O~

It's an entire deca-cycle before Megatron figures out the Allspark is no longer on Cybertron _at all_.

It's much longer then Optimus, Requiem, Jazz, or Prowl had hoped the ruse that they were defending the Allspark would last. It's still not long enough.

They pray Bumblebee has found the Allspark, or that he is at least on its tail.

Either way, the Autobots fight to keep Megatron on Cybertron for as long as they can manage to give Bee any amount of time they can. It's tiring, and dangerous. Megatron is _enraged_ that the Allspark had been taken off planet. He's even angrier that he doesn't know _how long_ it had been missing. (Though he suspects a deca-cycle- remembering the scout that had refused to tell him any information)

It just makes him angrier and more vicious in his attacks to get off Cybertron's surface.

In the end, the Autobots succeed in stopping Megatron from leaving for another four cycles after he discovers the Allspark in not on Cybertron anymore. They pray to Primus it was long enough.

O~O~O~

Requiem curses as she sees Megatron get off planet.

They had given Bumblebee as long as they could. The Decepticons rally at the sight of their leader going after the All-Spark, and their next attacks are vicious and filled with a kind of hope. As if by attacking the Autobots the Cons can speed up Megatron's retrieval of the All-Spark.

Requiem cannot allow it.

She refuses to allow it.

 _::I'm going after him! Watch my back!::_ her voice is strong as she calls the command over the Autobot airwaves. The Autobots respond instantly even as she rushes towards Megatron's lift off point.

 _::Requiem_ _ **no!**_ _::_ Jazz's voice comes to her in a private com.

 _::We have no choice now. Follow after me when you can!::_ she responds to him as calmly as she can manage while injecting a sense of importance into her words.

 _::Don't be a fool!::_ Prowl is next to com her privately.

Requiem opens a line between the two mechs and her voice is sharp even as she continues moving. _::I_ _ **will**_ _see my sparklings have a home to live on! If Megatron gets the All-Spark there will be_ _ **nothing**_ _left for them!::_ her accent returns to her voice as her emotions swell strongly _::If tha' means Ah hav'ta go aftah th' main mech himself Ah_ _ **will**_ _, and ya can't stop meh!::_

The two mechs fall silent, knowing exactly how rare it is for Requiem to have her accent rise in her voice. They respond to her together _**::…Be careful::**_

 _::Ah will.::_

Jazz's voice is stone cold with promise as he responds to her, his accent absent in the face of his seriousness. _::We will be right behind you.::_

 _::Ah know ya will.::_ she answers him with all the faith in the world. This is her brother. Her family. The mech who had walked the streets with her, who had fought in the Rings beside her, who had held life-Energon inside her frame when the injuries were bad, and welded her back together.

He _would_ come for her. She had no doubt.

 _::Ah will see ya both again.::_


	4. Chapter 4

**TIME MEASUREMENTS:**

 **Astrosecond:** .5 seconds

 **Nano-klik:** 1 second

 **Klik** : 1 minute

 **Breem:** 8 minutes

 **Cycle:** 1 hour 15minutes (4 cycles is 5hours)

 **Deca-cycle:** 4 weeks (one month)

 **Mega-cycle:** 96 hours (four days)

 _ **Meta**_ **-cycle:** 12 months (one year)

 **Stellar Cycle:** 6 months

 **Vorn:** 83 years

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

Requiem would be eternally grateful that traveling such large distances over space allowed both herself and her sparklings to fall into a controlled stasis-lock. Their systems would slow to the point of almost stopping, and they would sleep even as they traveled unless something came into sensor range that Requiem's systems deemed dangerous.

The pod form she traveled in was a little odd, but Requiem wasn't uncomfortable.

She would catch up to Megatron and Bee and hopefully they could get to the All-spark before Megatron did.

O~O~O~

When Requiem had first gotten into space after Megatron (with assistance as she was not equipped with a flying alt) she had had to fight him a bit. Thankfully the mech had deemed the All-spark to be of more importance then her and chosen to go after it instead of drawn out combat.

She wouldn't have lasted if he had chosen to fight. Megatron had a flying alt- so space fighting wouldn't be a problem for him, but Requiem would have some serious issues moving around quickly enough to deal with the Decepticon without the aid of a flying alt.

So when he had blasted away from her, choosing to go after All-spark instead, Requiem had been smug that she had been right about what the mech would choose to do. He would have a head-start but that was alright. Bee was ahead of him, and she would help Bee when she landed. Megatron was alone. She would not be.

Requiem had shifted to pod form shortly after that, setting her systems to follow after Megatron and allowing the programs to put her and her sparklings into a controlled stasis-lock that would stop their need for Energon or anything of the sort.

O~O~O~

The next time Requiem is any kind of 'conscious' it is because her systems blare a warning at her and pull her from the stasis of space travel.

She comes to with wide optics as she stares ahead of herself.

A wormhole.

A _Wormhole_.

A wormhole that Megatron's signal disappears into. And she cannot go back. Without the All-spark to help replenish the planet's natural resources, Cybertron would run out of Energon supplying the population. She would die. Jazz would die. Her sparklings would die. And she can't let that happen- so she has to follow the All-spark. Follow Megatron.

Into a wormhole.

 _Slag it all to the Pit._

She closes her optics, and for the first time in many, many vorns she prays.

 _Please_ she begs silently _let us make it through this. Let_ them _make it through this if I do not. Primus guide me._

And she plunges into the wormhole, her optics wide and her spark tight with worry. After Megatron. After the All-spark. After the hope for a better brighter future for her little ones.

Until the day the Well takes her, from that moment forward, Requiem swears there was a Presence there beside her, a guiding hand that nudged her pod-body through that wormhole in the gentlest way it could. She would swear Primus had answered her as she plunged into the unknown and shown her the way through.

As she exits the other side of the wormhole, her spark tight now with relief, she whispers into the vastness of space:

" _Thank you."_

And she allows herself to fall back into the stasis of long distance travel, chasing the trail the All-spark, Bumblebee, and Megatron leave in their path.

O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~O~

 **It demands to stop here- so here it stops, as short as it is.**


End file.
